In France, pets are not just companions: they actively participate in our well-being. But what does this link reveal about our mental health and our lifestyles? A recent study carried out at the National Veterinary School of Toulouse made it possible, for the first time, to measure the attachment of French people to their dogs and cats.
The benefits of the presence of an animal on human health are no longer in doubt. Numerous studies show that it is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular risk and that it can help reduce stress, particularly in people who maintain a strong emotional bond with their pet.
A valuable link in more than one way
Dog owners, for example, walk more, have more active social lives and have a lower risk of depression. In older adults, studies suggest that the presence of an animal helps preserve cognitive abilities, such as memory, as well as morale; while in children, it promotes the learning of empathy and responsibility.
This link is not only behavioral: it also affects our emotional needs. In a society marked by loneliness, anxiety and the aging of the population, the dog or the cat sometimes becomes a real psychological support, capable of creating a feeling of stability and usefulness on a daily basis.
However, this relationship, beneficial in many cases, can also become a source of emotional distress. Some people develop an anxious attachment to their pet, characterized by excessive worry about separation or when the pet becomes ill.
Among elderly people, even without hyperattachment, the forced separation from their animal during hospitalization or entry into a nursing home often represents a real trauma, as the animal is part of their emotional balance and their daily life.
The human-animal relationship as a therapeutic tool
The positive effects of the human-animal bond are today taken advantage of in several hospital and medico-social programs. he presence of animals in medical-social establishments (such as nursing homes) can encourage exchanges, spark memories and help temporarily break the feeling of loneliness among residents.
Proposing animal mediation in psychotherapies intended for adolescents also proves beneficial. Finally, in certain pediatric units, particularly in oncology, specially trained animals accompany patients during treatment to reduce anxiety and improve well-being during hospitalization.
More recently, several French police stations have introduced the presence of kittens to calm victims of violence, an approach inspired by measures already implemented abroad. Thus, in the United States, specially trained dogs are integrated into certain police stations and courts, in order to accompany victims during hearings. To date, there is no scientific data evaluating their impact in this specific context, but the testimonies are positive.
Furthermore, benefits have been reported among professionals: a study carried out among Canadian police officers showed that the presence of dogs in their work environment was perceived as reducing stress and improving well-being. This theme deserves to be explored through specific research to study to what extent contact with an animal helps restore a feeling of security after trauma.
These increasingly widespread initiatives are all based on the same idea: strengthening human health by relying on the relationship with animals. Understanding the complex links between well-being, dependence and vulnerability requires having a reliable tool, which did not yet exist in a French version until recently.
A first scale to measure attachment to one’s animal in France
To better understand these relationships, little studied in France, an international reference tool has been translated into French: the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (“Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale”, LAPS). This tool makes it possible to quantify the emotional attachment between an owner and their animal through twenty-three items (for example: “My animal understands when I am sad”). Nearly 1,900 French dog and cat owners responded to this survey.
The LAPS scale assigns an attachment score from 0 to 69, with a higher score reflecting a stronger attachment of the owner to their animal. In France, dog owners obtained a median score of 58.5 compared to 52 for cats. This is higher than in England, Denmark or Austria!
Marked differences depending on the profile of the owners
The study highlights several factors influencing the attachment score:
- Women have a higher score than men, a result also observed in other countries;
- People living without children also have a higher score, their animals sometimes being able to play the role of substitute family figures;
- Dog owners scored higher than cat owners, perhaps due to more active interaction;
- People with higher levels of education have lower scores, perhaps because they tend to express less emotional attachment.
These trends reflect deep social realities. In a society where loneliness is increasing, where families are being recomposed and where remote working is becoming more widespread, animals play a growing emotional role. It soothes, structures daily life and fills a need for connection that human relationships do not always satisfy.
When our dogs and cats become our attachment figures
In psychology, attachment theory describes our fundamental need for security and reassurance from an “attachment figure”, often a parent, a partner or… an animal.
Dogs, more demonstrative, offer an emotional interaction close to that of a child: they solicit, react, express joy. Cats, being more independent, sometimes require a more “projective” form of attachment, where the owner interprets their signs of affection.
These differences explain why dogs have higher attachment scores: they actively respond to the human need for bonding and reciprocity. But among all owners, the attachment is very real.
And now? When the health of the animal influences that of the owner
The validated French LAPS scale is already used in other research work. One of them is interested in the impact of dog osteoarthritis on the daily life of its owners. When an animal suffers, it is often the entire household that suffers the consequences. You can participate in this new study by answering this online questionnaire.
The questionnaire is aimed at all dog owners, whether or not they are affected by osteoarthritis, in order to better understand how the health of dogs affects that of its owners and to improve the joint care of the dog and its family.
